bronial

Bronial is an anatomical and medical adjective relating to the bronchi, the major air passages that branch from the trachea into the lungs. In contemporary usage, bronchial is the standard form describing structures associated with the bronchi, such as the bronchial tree, bronchial mucosa, and bronchial arteries. The form bronial appears less frequently and is more often found in older texts or in certain compound terms.

In anatomy, the bronchi originate at the division of the trachea into the right and left main bronchi, which then subdivide into lobar and segmental bronchi as part of the bronchial tree. They function to conduct air to the lungs and, along with the mucociliary system, help filter, warm, and humidify inspired air before it reaches the deeper lung tissues. The bronchial circulation, supplied by bronchial arteries, provides oxygenated blood to the airway walls, distinct from the pulmonary circulation that facilitates gas exchange.

Clinical usage commonly describes conditions affecting the bronchi, such as bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi), bronchial obstruction (narrowing of the airways), and bronchial hyperreactivity (a feature of asthma). Treatments often aim to relieve bronchial constriction and inflammation, using bronchodilators to relax smooth muscle and anti-inflammatory agents to reduce mucosal swelling. The term bronchial also appears in procedures and diagnostics like bronchoscopy, which examines the interior surfaces of the bronchi. The word originates from Greek bronchus (windpipe) via the combining form broncho- and the suffix -al.